Burger & Bun

If you're trying to stay on the right side of healthy, red meat should really be a treat... and this feather blade steak definitely makes for a treat of a burger which is simple to make and very quick to cook. You'll love the tasty simplicity of this recipe; is an excellent way of celebrating the last weekend before we all have to go back to work *sobs slightly*.

Ingredients

Feather Blade Steaks

Salt & Pepper

500g Strong White Flour

1tbsp Active Yeast

1tsp Sugar

1tsp Salt

320ml Warm Water (or Warm Water and Milk, mixed)

20 ml Olive Oil

Sesame Seeds (or Poppy Seeds, both optional)

Egg Wash or Milk (for brushing)

I know I bang on about this a lot – but get your meat from a supplier that you trust; one that actively engages with you about where they get their meat from and about how it’s raised etc. The best way forward is buying better quality meat, less often – oh, and finding a good butcher rather than ever going to a supermarket…

For the Burgers, use as much Feather Blade Steak as you think is sensible – I normally buy two very large steaks, and make 4 Burgers – 2 large ones and 2 smaller ones for the next day as leftovers

Trim all the visible fat off the Steaks and whizz up a bit in a food processor – aim for a consistency that is chunkier than mince but not too chunky

Shape the minced meat into (4) patties and refrigerate for at least an hour… remove for half an hour before cooking

To cook; heat a pan with a very little Olive Oil and when very hot, add the Burgers and season with Salt & Pepper… Cook them for 4 or 5 minutes on each side, or longer or shorter for better done or more rare Burgers, and then rest them on a plate for 15 minutes before serving…

For the Buns… you’ll need to make these in advance.

Dissolve 1 tsp Sugar with 150ml very hot water and then add 1 tbsp Active Yeast. Leave for 15 minutes or until there is a 2cm-ish foam on top (your yeast is now active and ready to use). Mix together 500g Strong White Flour, 20ml Olive Oil, 1 tsp Sugar, 1 tsp Salt with 320 ml of very warm Water (including the water with the Yeast in it). Knead the dough for 10 minutes before setting aside to rise in a bowl, underneath a clean tea towel

After an hour, knock the Bun dough back into shape and shape into 10 round shapes (or thereabouts). Sprinkle some Polenta or Semolina (or Plain Flour) onto a baking sheet and leave the Buns to rise on this for another hour or so…

Brush the Buns with Egg Wash (or Milk with a little Sugar mixed in) and sprinkle with Sesame Seeds before baking at 200˚c for 15-20 minutes or until brown and top and hollow sounding inside (when you tap on the bottom)…. Cool them on a wire rack

Serve the Burger & Buns with some homemade mayonnaise, a piece of lettuce and a slice of Red Onion… Deliciously tangy green chilli peppers are good on the side too; as are sweet potato fries